Jill opened the small package she found on her desk that Valentine's Day morning. It was wrapped in pink paper with white hearts and a white ribbon tied into a lovely bow.
On top of the box had been a card that simply said, "I'll be there soon."
Curious as to the source, she tore the paper away and found it was a bottle of AERIN Rose de Grasse perfume.
Having never heard of the brand, she googled it and gasped at the cost.
She looked around to see who could have been her anonymous benefactor, but she was alone as usual.
Her habit was to arrive an hour before anyone else as it allowed her to check her email and plan her day in peace and quiet. The office would buzz as soon as her coworkers arrived and the first half hour of the day would be wasted with the small talk and gossip she loathed.
The only other person in the office building was Tom the security guard who watched the door after hours. She knew that because hers was the only car in the parking lot and his bicycle was the only one in the rack at that hour.
She set the box on her desk and rushed down the two flights of stairs. She knew anyone entering or leaving the building after hours had to sign the log on Tom's desk.
Her heels clacked on the marble walkway as she neared his desk. Tom heard her coming and set down the tablet on which he read online erotic stories to pass the time.
"Hello again, Miss Fields," he smiled.
"Tom," she said, ignoring his greeting. "Who has been in the building this morning?"
He pointed at the log book and said, "Just you, Ma'am. As usual, you were the last to leave last night and the first to arrive today."
She looked at the book to verify, and groaned in frustration.
"Someone left an expensive gift on my desk. There had to be someone."
He shrugged, "Sorry, Miss Fields. No one has been here and as you know, the door is locked at all times. No one can enter the building when I step away."
She eyed the handsome man in his early twenties warily. She didn't fathom that a lowly security guard could afford such an expensive gift.
"Thank you," she grumbled as she walked away.
Tom watched her walk to the stairwell and shook his head. He found her attractive but hated how disconnected and antisocial she was with him.
*****
Jill looked at the time when she realized she was the only person left on her floor. She was startled by the ding of the elevator.
She looked up and saw Tom approaching her desk with a bouquet.
"Sorry to bother you, Miss Fields, but you have a delivery from the flower shop."
He set them on her desk and smiled when he saw the bottle of perfume on her desk.
"Thank you, Tom," she said politely but with indifference.
"Ma'am, that's a nice perfume you put on."
She looked at the card which accompanied the flowers and ignored the smirking security guard.
"See you soon," it read.
"Who sent these, Tom?"
"Don't know, Miss Fields. It was the usual delivery girl. She always delivers for that florist."
She nodded, and Tom walked away.
He pressed the down button and the elevator door opened. He looked at her cubicle, took a deep breath, and pulled the old-fashioned analog stopwatch out of his pocket.
